Читать книгу Headwinds - Sybil Kempel - Страница 8

"Heartless. It is a word I love, in the past few days…"

Leslie Price he sank deeper into his helmet that exhaled hot air with a subtle buzz.

Her face was pale, washed out, without any artifice and revealed a lady in her late thirties, undoubtedly pleasing, with the first signs of the time advancing carefully hidden by a light but structured make-up.

''Heartless. If George was 'careless' as you say, he wouldn't be like that towards me... detached" said the other lady in the chair next to him.

"I would be worried and investigate to find out the reason for ‘carelessness’" said a third with her head full of curlers wrapped in a perfumed cloth.

"Mrs. Cooper, please... don't move'' the girl who was fumbling around the chair cast a pleading look at the woman who was constantly moving.

"I can't sit here for hours anymore. And to say that until recently...'' replied Mrs. Cooper annoyed at being taken back.

Leslie closed her eyes and relaxed in her chair: "I hate indifference in a man but detachment... I find it fascinating. Only by detachment one can have the best victories''

"You speak well that you have some experience in this regard... but we who have to preserve a status ... it is not so simple, Leslie, believe me..." Glenna Harrison, the first lady, raised her hand and fanned the air to underline her statement.

"For a moment I would like to have your freedom" said the other, "not having obligations, fears, anxieties..."

"And the salary of a husband..." said Leslie venomously. Mrs. Acacia Cooper gave a sharp smile.

"There are the pros and cons" he finally murmured after a moment of silence.

''More against than pro'' concluded Glenna ''it is true, we can take away some small satisfaction that is not granted to all'' and let a sweet smile slip to Leslie Price ''but the obligations and above all the bitter bits to swallow... enough, I don't say more. You can imagine the rest..."

"Let's imagine" said Mrs Cooper, ''entering a family like the one your hausband is coming from... it's mustn't be easy''

Leslie listened distantly to the two friends' chatter. She deeply despised them. Mrs. Cooper had been a dull, provincial girl who had had the good fortune to marry a wealthy notary from a broken family. In no time the pale Acacia had become a luxuriant lady and had put on a stink under her nose that she never failed to show off like a dress signed in a high-ranking party.

Glenna Harrison exhibited a standard of living that could not be sustained, it could be seen from small details that are maniacally hidden like a worn out lisa sleeve or a luxury bag. The husband was a mediocre university teacher of a secondary subject: he had found his niche and held it firmly with his nails, ready to kill if it were the case.

Leslie shook her head slightly. Those two didn't understand anything. But she did, she had developed a class with a careful and discreet observation. She knew where she came from and rebelled. She wanted to grow and grew slowly but steadily...

"You have to have clear ideas" she said softly, almost to herself.

"What did you say?" Acacia asked.

I was thinking" replied Leslie dreamily. Acacia glanced questioningly at Glenna who shrugged from under the helmet. At that moment the door of the shop rang out and Gianna Lorenzi made a theatrical entrance.

"Gertie, do you have a chair for me now ?’’ she asked emphatically.

An elegant woman emerged from the chest, her nails were manicured and glazed bright red.

"Gianna" she said going towards her “For you there is always room’’ he said, smiling, and led her to an empty chair, where she was immediately joined by a petite girl in a large blue apron.

Glenna looked at Acacia and rolled her eyes to the sky. Then, approaching Leslie, he whispered: ''This place is becoming increasingly infrequent...''

"Why?" Leslie asked slyly.

"Look who's here" Acacia murmured softly, nodding to Lorenzi that the girl was bundled up in a sort of white cloth shawl.

In response, Leslie cleared his throat and greeted Lorenzi composedly: "Madame, good morning"

Gianna turned and stretched a grim smile: "Leslie, dear... you too..."

Mrs. Gertie Wilson, the owner of the restaurant turned around and stared for a moment, narrowing her eyes, at Leslie. Then he turned back to the Italian noblewoman: "Do you know Mrs Price?" he asked softly.

"A little," Lorenzi replied dryly, "we met at some party."

Acacia and Glenna exchanged a mischievous look and gently suppressed a chuckle.

"It was great last Saturday" said Leslie aloud to Gianna.

"My dear" replied the one with the impassive face resting on the draining board of the chair "if you refer to that ... which Mrs. Parker organized, allow me to disagree.''

Leslie blushed then checked himself and assumed a modest air: "It seemed great to me...."

"Tacky, you mean" added the other poisonous "very tacky and coarsely outlined"

Leslie fell silent and the woman took advantage of it to make her dose higher. "I frankly don't know what he was aiming for, since there was no one so important... he undoubtedly spent a good deal of money but left everyone unsatisfied and turned out to be what he is, an upstart with questionable tastes''

"Parvenu...." Leslie said.

"It means enriched, a vulgar person without taste," explained Gianna, pleased. "Whoever is of recent wealth, is rarely really elegant"

"It is not always true" Mrs. Cooper said, her face on fire, "there are also those with an innate sense of elegance"

"You can never tell," Lorenzi conceded, surprised at that intrusion. "I myself have seen lovely girls of humble origins become truly women of the world... but it is very rare and usually takes a long time. Some things need to be breathed in a familiar atmosphere... "

Glenna smiled: "This is a fairly real hypothesis, with some exceptions."

"Obviously" conceded Gianna, and let herself go under her helmet with her eyes closed.

Leslie listened carefully. She bit her lips then said with a sigh: "It would be nice to attend a party properly, to understand... with a company like yours, madame...''

Lorenzi smiled magnanimously: "Come on, you're still young, you'll have many opportunities..."

Leslie shook her head: "I'm afraid the will isn't enough..." and she shed a tear as she looked sideways at the lady.

She, embarrassed, tried to avoid her gaze but Leslie held on, while the other two took on an almost indignant expression.

"Too bad" concluded Leslie, then resumed the garrula: "They told me that Mr. Davis arrived last night and showed up at the nautical club"

Gianna smiled with her eyes closed: "He is always a remarkable man" he said, "with his arrogant rascal air."

"A man of the world" Leslie added dreamily.

"Believe me, another like him is not there" said the Italian noblewoman.

"A rather dubious individual" Acacia suggested.

"Let's just talk" said Glenna.

"But this is its charm" said Gianna, raising her face suddenly, "a trivial individual does not talk about himself, he does not shake the waters as he is capable of doing. You should have seen the circle last night: it seemed everyone had had an electric shock. The conversation was lively, the game challenging. It was enough for him to be there... "

"What is it like?" Leslie asked impulsively.

Gianna looked at her with condescension. "It's strange that you asked me about his character. Usually those who approach Davis inquire about his appearance... or his money....''

Glenna and Acacia giggled.

Leslie blushed: "Forgive me... I'm so naive and inexperienced"

The two women exchanged a knowing look: "Very inexperienced..." Acacia said softly to Glenna who nodded.

"Well, if I really wanted to meet the man of the day" Lorenzi said slowly, studying the words, "you could come this evening to the party I will throw to the nautical club. I might even need help..."

''A party? To the nautical club?" Leslie said, feigning a strong emotion "Me? But I can't... I'm not a member..."

"Nonsense. You will be my assistant. I think there will be no problems.''

Acacia and Glenna looked at Leslie with malevolent air. Under her contemptuous air one could see that she felt a great satisfaction for having managed to slip into that exclusive place, which was normally precluded to her.

"I don't think I'm coming" Acacia said, shrugging her shoulders. "Generally when I go to the nautical club, I'm bored to death with all those old men who play and look a little too much under their skirts."

"Wrong" Lorenzi replied savagely, "Let those who know it let you know" he added slyly," you have an interesting opportunity in this country and you have to take advantage to have some fun... The circle seems to me to be the ideal place"

"If you say so" Acacia concluded with little conviction.

"So can I really come tonight?" Leslie asked.

“ Of course, darling. Let's meet at the entrance at 9pm. I will arrive at that time and will enter with me. Obviously..." he added haughtily "It will be important to have a suitable outfit for the situation"

"Don't doubt" said Leslie, anticipating her a little too long. "I'll be very adequate to the situation," he concluded enthusiastically.

Gianna let herself go in the armchair. While the other two ladies whispered scandalized by the awful figure of Leslie inviting herself so impudently to a party that did not concern her, the Italian noblewoman found herself thinking: "Let's hope so. I wouldn't want to make a fool of myself...''